Re: [microsound] white middle class music

[rick <microsound@xxxxxxxxx>]

...not to mention that here in the unsophisticated US, hip hop is top 40 music. besides that, it blasts out of so many cars and parties that everyone, even my grandma, listens to hip hop whether on purpose or not. also, electronic music has made a lot of progress in underground circles, is the soundtrack to almost all shopping (in nyc atleast), and the soundtrack to every car commercial i've seen lately.



maybe indie rock is popular because people find its amateurish sound and humble emotional content refreshing. besides, most indie rockers listened to a lot of hip hop growing up and a lot of electronic music in college and are taking a break with good old fashioned rock. this is the same reason that pabst blue ribbon is having a big comeback, everyone O.D'd on microbrews in the '90s so it's back to basics.



in other words, maybe people in the US like indie rock because they've had too much exposure to other things. then again, maybe everyone from the states is a dumb rube like everyone on this list thinks. though, i'm not sure how we phillistines managed to invent hip hop and electronic music in general. must have been luck...









 --- On Tue 03/30, pelagius pelagius < pela_gius@xxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:

From: pelagius pelagius [mailto: pela_gius@xxxxxxxxxxx]

To: microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 16:22:04 -0800

Subject: Re: [microsound] white middle class music



>From: andrew jones &lt;liminal18@xxxxxxx&gt;<br>>B. Audiences are usually smaller in the u.s. for any music really except <br>>maybe<br>>indie-rock. Does anyone know why this is?<br><br>There are so many possible reasons.  The US is such a spread out car-based <br>culture with very little sense of public space.  Most of the bars, clubs, or <br>coffeeshops where people congregate have replaced live musicians long ago <br>with jukeboxes, muzak, etc.  And if you want to start a venue for live music <br>good luck getting a liquor license and all of the other necessary permits.  <br>Apart from college radio there is really no local radio anymore which makes <br>it almost impossible for a strong local scene to build anywhere.  Add to <br>that a general closed-mindedness with millions of educated people who still <br>won't have anything to do with hip-hop or electronic music or whatever they <br>don't consider "real music."  The only people who really have the time and <br>patience to keep
up with what's happening and go out of their way to see <br>shows are college students, hence the "indie-rock."  There's also this weird <br>tendency for kids to get into nostalgia-based youth movements like the swing <br>revival, ska, punk, etc.  Possibly because the MTV/Clear Channel media <br>machines aren't really giving them any attractive new "scenes" to glom onto.<br><br>>A. Lima Peru rules and probably has more internet cafes than San Diego.<br><br>Once again, it's a lack of any sense of public or community space.  Nobody <br>with internet access at home is going to go to an internet cafe (well, maybe <br>to get a cup of coffee and leave).  Plus San Diego is a really conservative <br>military town so it's probably an even worse example than most other cities.<br><br>That's just my interpretation of the situation though.  I could be wrong.<br><br>_________________________________________________________________<br>FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar ? get it now! <br>
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